Fatherhood
by BeeBabyBoy
Summary: Allen is 21, working overtime at the Black Order Church, and raising a child on his own. Who would dare to turn his entire world upside down? Modern day AU. Allen x Lavi and past Allen x Lenalee.
1. chapter 1

Allen Walker could never forget the day she died. His Lenalee. It was the most terrible, and the most amazing of days. It was the day his wife had died... and the day his beloved son was born. It made his heart ache to think of, but he thought of it every time he looked at his little boy's face. Allen had named him Mana, in honor of the boy's grandfather. Little Mana was a ray of sunshine in Allen's depressing, soul-sucking life. Allen worked as an exorcist for his local church. It was a taxing job, seeing the corrupt and the disturbed, the possessed and the evil, and often failing to salvage them from their state. If there was something that kept him awake at night, it was the idea of all the souls he could not save.

Only his Mana could keep him from falling into a pit of misery. His Mana was turning 3 years old today. And Allen was going to try his best to grant the toddler's every wish. Leaning over Mana's crib, he softly stroked the boy's cheek. His deep violet eyes opened slowly. His mother's eyes.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," Allen said softly.

"Papa..." Mana stretched his small arms up towards his father.

"Happy birthday, Mana," Allen said, taking the child into his arms. Allen kept him in an embrace, feeling the warmth of his only memory of his first and only love. _It's been 3 years since you've left us, Lenalee_ , Allen thought. _He's growing so fast, you wouldn't believe it._

Papa, I'm hungry," Mana said, interrupting Allen's thoughts.

"Right," Allen said, perking up considerably. "Right, and I have something very special made for you!" Lifting the giggling boy onto his shoulders, Allen skipped through their apartment and into their small kitchenette.

"Ta-da! Breakfast for two!"

Mana gasped. The biggest pile of chocolate chip pancakes he had ever seen sat on their small table- and that was impressive, considering both father and son ate like rabid wolves.

"Yummy!" The little boy yelled, gesturing to be put down into his high chair. When Allen obliged, he swung his feet and squealed with joy. Allen smiled warmly.

"Well, let's dig in!" Allen said, stacking a load of pancakes onto Mana's Winnie-the-Pooh plate.

Just then, Allen's cellphone rang. Allen carefully set the plate in front of Mana and scrambled for his phone. It was Chief Komui.

"Uh, hello?" Allen said, holding the phone between his ear and shoulder as he fixed himself a plate.

"Hello Allen, Komui here."

"Yes, hello, um, isn't today my-"

"I'm sorry to call you on your day off, Allen. But I'm afraid we've got something _very_ important going on," Komui said.

"Oh... I see..." Allen said, feeling dread beginning to knot up in his stomach.

"I need you to come to the church ASAP. That's as soon as possible, please."

"Uh, yea, but... see, I scheduled this day off a few months ago, it's kind of important. Isn't there someone else who could-"

"Sorry Allen, but we need everyone here today. Anything else just has to wait," Komi said firmly.

"But-"

"I'll see you there," Komui said, then hung up. Allen huffed. He glanced at Mana, whose cheeks were covered in melted chocolate. What choice did he have?


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's note: thank you to jy24 and xXxPhantomxXx for reviewing! You guys kinda hit the nail on the head for Komui's character in this chapter. But I won't spoil it for you. Enjoy!!**

"Sorry I'm late! My usual babysitter couldn't make it, and on such short notice I can't believe I found anyone, I-"

Allen froze as the somber chill of the room hit him. There were hundreds of clergymen, but the room was nearly silent. Allen felt heat rise in his cheeks as he realized people staring at him for his noisy entry. _Idiot_ , he thought. He swallowed nervously and began walking down the aisle towards the pulpit Komui was leaned against, muttering with a group of exorcists. Komui looked in his direction with an abnormally dark expression.

"Allen!" He called out suddenly, his entire aura shifting into his usual goofy facade.

"Good morning..." Allen said meekly.

"Did you bring your... child with you?" Komui asked, eyes glinting through his glasses.

Allen's face hardened. Komui hated Mana, Allen knew that for a fact. It was Allen's fault for getting Lenalee pregnant... they weren't even married, and she was only 16 while he was even younger. It was his fault that she died, being unable to withstand the pain of childbirth at such a young age. It was his fault that he was now a single father at 18, barely making ends meet. And it was his fault that Komui hated him, that he deserved, but Mana deserved none of the man's hatred.

"No... he's at home," Allen said stoicly.

"Ahh I see. We wouldn't want him to get hurt, now would we?" Komui responded devilishly. _Is he threatening me_? Allen thought, clenching his fists to stop himself from interjecting.

When Allen didn't respond, Komui probed further.

"This is a very dangerous mission, and your little boy wouldn't survive it. I doubt _you'd_ be able to protect him. Just because it's so serious, of course."

Allen was beginning to tremble with anger at this point. He wanted to defy him, to tell him he was wrong, that he loved Mana more than anything living in this rotten world. Just then, a loud voice cut through his thoughts, startling both him and Komui.

"Aw, c'mon Komui, you act like they're facing tough crap. It's just a bunch of Satan-worshipping weirdos!"

Allen saw the man bold enough to stand up to his chief leaning against the pier holding the flying buttress coming down from the church ceiling. He had wild, flaming red hair, a somewhat tan complexion, and a slightly muscular build. He leaned, smirking boyishly, relaxed as if he hadn't just thwarted Komui's plan to make Allen get himself fired. His name was Lavi Bookman Jr.


End file.
